Morelli's Ice Cream

Morelli's is on the southeast side of town. I first spotted it while on the way to the Starlite Drive-In. Some of the local buzz finally pushed me over the edge to make a trip just for ice cream.

This is a traditional ice cream stand in physical format. That means there is no outside seating. Luckily, in the winter you can always sit in your car. The ice cream is much richer than your typical stand, though. I was in a traditionalist mood and went for a scoop of chocolate. It was very creamy. The chocolate note was there but not overdone; this wasn't some strange, offbeat style of chocolate. They do have a variety of unusual flavors that seem to rotate, given the long list on their Web site. Overall, I'm not sure how Morelli stacks up to my all-time worldwide favorites---I still dream of Rick's Rather Rich in Palo Alto---but it is definitely the richest ice cream I've had in Atlanta. This experience also makes me want to track down a Westside Creamery truck for comparison.

By the way, have you ever wondered why humans eat ice cream in the dead of winter? On my visits to Denmark, I've been astounded by the number of ice cream shops. I've never been there in winter, but my friends assure me that they eat ice cream all winter long. And winter there is not only cold and damp but dark---not the sunny experience you see in ice cream ads. Human nature is a wonderful thing...

Morelli's Gourmet Ice Cream & Desserts on Urbanspoon

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